From the latest press release of the University of Texas at Austin we learned that the chemical engineer Brian Kogel found a way to create low-cost solar cells that can be printed or painted onto buildings or rooftops. The innovative method involves using semi-transparent nanoparticle inks printed like newpapers, which allows them to absorb the sunlight.
Currently solar cells are manufactured in vacuum chambers that require high temperatures and are expensive.
“That’s essentially what’s needed to make solar-cell technology and photovoltaics widely adopted,” said Brian Korgel. “The sun provides a nearly unlimited energy resource, but existing solar energy harvesting technologies are prohibitively expensive and cannot compete with fossil fuels.”
The solar cells could be printed on plastic substrates, stainless steel and even on windows, using a nanomaterial called copper indium gallium selenide that absorbs light and is 10,000 times thinner than human hair. CIGS are cheaper and environmentally-friendly.
Brian Korgel added that he has been working on this project since two years ago together with Professors Al Bard and Paul Barbara from the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and with Professor Ananth Dodabalapur of the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department.
Until this moment, the team achieved 1% efficiency of the solar-cell prototypes and the minimum required to become ready for commercialization has to be of 10%. Starting that point, they will be used in about four years.
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